Hamilton County, TN Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum sleeping rooms
- 5 per STVR
- Occupancy formula
- (2 x sleeping rooms) + 4
- 5-bedroom maximum occupancy
- 14 people
- 1-bedroom maximum occupancy
- 6 people
- Applies to
- Every district permitting an STVR
- Added by
- Res. 423-35, 4/19/2023
Summary
Hamilton County caps how many guests a Short-Term Vacation Rental can sleep: no more than five sleeping rooms, and total occupants can't exceed twice the number of sleeping rooms plus four, a formula written into the STVR use conditions across the county's zoning districts.
d) Maximum Number of Sleeping Rooms: There shall be no more than five (5) sleeping rooms. All proposed sleeping rooms shall be in compliance with all adopted, applicable state and local building and fire safety codes.
e) Maximum Occupancy: For structures meeting all other regulations and requirements, the maximum occupants permitted shall not exceed more than twice (2) the number of sleeping rooms plus four (4).
Full Breakdown
Article IV's Short Term Vacation Rental use conditions, added by Resolution 423-35 in 2023, set two linked numeric limits. ' Under that formula, a five-bedroom STVR, the maximum allowed, tops out at 14 occupants (2 x 5 + 4), while a one-bedroom unit tops out at six. The formula appears identically at least 14 times across the Article IV Schedule of District Regulations, attached to the STVR use permission in the A-1 Agricultural District and every residential district that allows a Short Term Vacation Rental, including R-1, R-2, and R-2A.
The cap applies 'for structures meeting all other regulations and requirements,' meaning the certificate, parking, and prohibited-use conditions all have to be satisfied before the occupancy number even comes into play.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding either the five-sleeping-room limit or the twice-plus-four occupancy formula is a violation of the STVR use conditions and, under Article VIII, Section 105, an unlawful use of land. That carries a misdemeanor fine of $25 to $100, with each day the overcapacity condition continues counted as a separate offense, enforced by the Hamilton County Sheriff.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can stay overnight at a Hamilton County short-term rental?
Is there a limit on how many bedrooms an STVR can have?
Does the occupancy cap change by zoning district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hamilton County
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